Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said.

“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.

He has risen!

He is not here.

See the place where they laid him.”

(Mark 16:5–6, NIV)

Theme: The practical significance of the resurrection to the every-day life of the believer.

Date: 11/10/19 File name: GospelOfMark45.wpd

ID Number: 96

Some years ago when Linda and I were in England we had the opportunity to visit Westminster Cathedral in London.

It's the Cathedral where English royalty is wed and Kings and Queens coronated.

It is also a place where many famous people are buried.

In underground vaults beneath the floor of the church lies tomb after tomb.

On each can be seen the words, "Here lieth the body of . . .

" followed by the name of some noted general, artist, scholar, politician or clergyman.

How different it is at the tomb of Jesus.

There you will not find a tombstone with the inscription, "Here lieth the body of Jesus of Nazereth."

Instead we hear the words of the angel on Easter morning as our Lord's epitaph, "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.

He has risen!

He is not here.”

Those are the most remarkable words in the history of the world."The

best news mankind has ever had came from a graveyard near Jerusalem."

In just a few weeks we will begin celebrating the incarnation.

The incarnation would make no sense if it were not for the resurrection.

Our Lord conquered death.

He rose again.

This was the culminating reason for the incarnation.

It's something we celebrate every Sunday.

But in practical terms, what does the resurrection mean to us today?

I. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MAKES POSSIBLE THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST

1. the great mystery of the Gospel is "Christ in us"

a. out of His sovereign grace and divine mercy, God has chosen to indwell all those who call upon the name of His only begotten son

1) Paul writes in Colossians 1:27-28 that this mystery was hidden ... from generations, but now is made known to his saints . . .

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

b. the resurrection of our Lord guarantees the presence of Christ in the lives of believers

1) that presence is just as real as the presence of the person sitting next to you this evening

2. God has always desired a presence among His people

a.

He frequently came to stroll with Adam and Eve in the Garden – in the cool of the day – before their fall

b.

He regularly came and visited with Abraham in the form of an angel

c.

He was with the exodus wanderers in the pillar of fire and the pillar of smoke

d.

He was with His prophets through the still small voice

e.

He was with the nation of Israel as the Shekinah glory in the temple at Jerusalem

f.

He walked with His disciple in the presence of Jesus

3. what's the point?

A. GOD WANTS TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS SAINTS

1. our passage reveals that resurrection Sunday had come

a. Jesus was alive

b. the Disciples just didn’t know it

2. our texts tells us of our Lords appearances

a. Mary Magdalene had excitedly told the apostles that Jesus had appeared to her at the tomb

b.

Peter and John had run to see the empty tomb, looked in and seen the discarded grave shroud

1) they did not know what to make of it

c.

next, the two disciples who had seen Jesus on the road to Emmaus have hurriedly returned to report their experience

3. the burning question of the hour is: Could all these reports be true?

Could the Master really be alive?

4. suddenly their question is answered – Jesus is in their presence!

a. Peace be with you! is his message

b. the disciples are at first terrified

1) at the very least they think they are hallucinating

2) at the very worst they think they are seeing a ghost

c. they are unbelieving and in shock until he shows them his nail-scared hands and sword-pierced side

5. what is the spiritual application?

a. Jesus desires fellowship with each one of us

ILLUS.

Many denominations have the tradition of keeping a red light burning in the sanctuary which represents the eternal presence of Christ in his church.

b. the good news is that you don't have to come to church to experience the presence of Christ in your life

1) every Christian is the temple of the living God

“What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God.

As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.””

(2 Corinthians 6:16, NIV)

2) we don’t need to have an ever-burning candle in the church, because Jesus – who is the light of life – indwells His Church—every true believer’s life

c.

because Jesus is the resurrection and the life we can experience his presence and fellowship

6.

The Resurrection of Jesus Makes Possible the Presence of Christ

II.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MAKES POSSIBLE THE PROGRAM OF GOD

Luke 24:44-48

1. what is the program of God?

2. Jesus makes it very clear in what we call The Great Commission

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

(Matthew 28:19–20, NIV)

A. GOD GIVES US THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF ACCOMPLISHING GOD'S PROGRAM

1. it's really a very simple plan

ILLUS.

Some instructions are not simple!

Years ago George Will was lamenting on the preponderance of verbiage it takes to Congress to explain a legislative bill these days.

He compared the Affordable Health Care Act to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.

The ordinance created the Northwest Territory, the first organized territory of the United States, from lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains, between British Canada and the Great Lakes to the north and the Ohio River to the south.

The upper Mississippi River formed the Territory's western boundary.